Alliances and Enmities
Chapter 2: Alliances and Enmities
September 4, 1993
"You almost got caught," Tonks informed him.
"But you saved me, right?" asked James, sitting down across from her, twirling a pen around his fingers. "So there's no need to worry."
"James," she warned, "there is need to worry. You won't be able to keep sneaking into Hogwarts if you keep getting your cover blown."
"But my cover wasn't blown. It was almost blown. And, my dear Tonks, there's a difference."
Tonks rolled her eyes, although a small smile was creeping on her face. "Yeah? Well, you're a Marauder. I trust you. Just make sure you're-"
"Constantly vigilant?"
She poked her tongue out at him. He grinned.
"Fair." Tonks ran a hand through her hair, which was currently a bright bubblegum pink. "How's Hogwarts? What's with the Dementor?"
"Yeah, there was a Dementor on the train. Harry's first experience with one. But Remus managed to save him from further harm."
She raised an eyebrow. "Remus who?"
"You don't know Remus?" James asked in disbelief.
"No?"
"Remus John Lupin," James said, emphasizing every syllable with uttermost importance, "is my best friend in the universe. He's also the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts." He peered at her suspiciously. "You've met him when you were little."
"Did I?" she asked, interested. "When? I can't remember him."
"When we used to visit your mum, with…" His lips pursed. "With Sirius. Remus came with us. As I mentioned earlier, he's my best friend."
"Oh. I remember his name, but I don't remember him."
James snorted. "Highly observant you are, for an Auror-in-training."
She threw a cushion at him.
"I can write you up, you know," he said seriously. "For throwing a pillow at a senior official."
"And I'll tell Scrimgeour where you were yesterday."
James dropped the pen that he was fiddling with. "You wouldn't."
"If you wrote me up, I would."
"Curse it," he muttered. "You're good."
"It's complementary when you train under Mad-Eye," she responded. "He rubs off on you."
"Understandable. Well," he said, running a hand through his messy hair, "I'm off. I have a meeting. See you."
She waved and watched James walk slinkily out of the conference room.
He came back not a minute later. "By the way, I need to go to Hogwarts tomorrow."
"I'll cover," she mumbled, smiling despite herself.
It wasn't like James didn't do his work; he did. He always took his work seriously. But it was common knowledge that half of the job was paperwork, so James chose to sneak off to Hogwarts and do his there, with his wife. He had been doing this consistently; or at least the three years Tonks had been training to become an Auror. She always tried covering for him, since she would normally work in the Auror Office itself, which meant if someone wanted to know where James was, she was the one they asked. She would respond with a casual "Out at a mission", or a "I don't know." It was pretty straightforward.
And besides, it wasn't James's fault the paperwork job was so crummy.
Liana hated to admit it, but Lupin was a good teacher.
It was one of the first days of term, and it was her second Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson. Lupin taught with ease, with poise, making it seem so simple. But he was also kind and patient, and he encouraged the quiet kids to speak out.
Liana was not a quiet kid. Liana was a loud kid.
Very, very loud kid.
She wanted to scream like a polar bear.
"Miss Potter," Lupin called, bursting her from her bubble, "do you have a question?"
She realized that her hand was in the air, though she couldn't remember why it had gotten there in the first place. Slowly she lowered it, thinking desperately of a question to ask. She couldn't think fast enough. "No."
He nodded (was that a slight smirk on his face? Darn him) and resumed his lesson, and Liana paid a bit more attention to class.
It was a shame, really, that Lupin was friends with her parents; otherwise, she would've liked him a lot. But her parents were really friends with the wrong sort, and she had no idea how her parents had taken to her Sorting. She made sure to avoid her mother whenever she popped by. Thankfully, Lily Potter didn't teach any of the core subjects, which meant that Liana could avoid her mother without having to try too hard.
"He's pretty good, isn't he?" asked Candice quietly.
"I guess," Liana responded vaguely. "Some of the others don't like him."
"Oh, that Draco guy, you mean?" asked Kylie dreamily. "Yeah, he doesn't like Lupin either. But personally, I think he's okay. Of course, don't tell Draco I said that."
"We won't," Candice assured. "Since apparently you like him."
"I don't like him!" Kylie protested, her face turning red.
"Miss Johnson," interjected Lupin from the front of the room, "as entertaining as I'm sure your conversation is, I don't think you'd be willing to share?"
If possible, Kylie turned an even deeper shade of red. "No, Professor," she mumbled.
"That's what I thought. I know you haven't been listening, so would you like me to repeat the last thing I said?"
And the worst thing was that he literally said it in a nice way.
"Yes, please." Kylie's voice was almost a whisper.
"No need to be embarrassed," Lupin said kindly. "If it makes you feel better, my friends and I were some of the most notorious troublemakers during our time at Hogwarts. You just need to be good at not getting caught."
Liana rolled her eyes. Her father was trash at not getting caught.
Lupin caught her eye and gave her a slight smile, one that was unmistakably a smile, though she was sure nobody else would be able to tell. Lupin really had a way with things.
"More on that later," Lupin said, his eyes twinkling. "For now, I'll repeat what I was saying. And in the future, if anyone ever needs me to say anything again, even if it's just because you weren't listening, let me know. My friends would've failed all of their classes since they were too busy passing notes. I may be a teacher, but I know how students operate. Believe me."
Liana rolled her eyes. Lupin was her father's friend, but she knew many of her classmates were probably falling for him this instant.
And she didn't know if she was ready for that.
"No. That's the Quintaped." Lily Potter was trying her hardest to be patient, but how could she do it when the same student had asked the same question four times?
"What's the Quintaped, again?" Jonathan asked, frowning. "The one symbolizing number four, correct?"
"I already told you," said Lily through gritted teeth, "that's Fwooper. Quintaped is the one with five club footed legs. Quintaped is number five."
"Oh," said Johnathan, nodding like the world made perfect sense. "I get it."
"I'm glad," said Lily. "Any other questions? No?" She scanned the room. "Okay, cool. Today, we're going to go over a quick classwork about the runes representing one to ten. Nothing too difficult, everything we've learned. If you've been paying attention in class," she gave a discreet, dirty look at Jonathan, "then you'll do fine. Any questions before we start the test? Yes, Jonathan?" Merlin, was he a nuisance.
"Is the rune representing number three going to be on the test?"
"Why wouldn't it?"
"I forgot it."
"Then you'll just have to try your best, I'm afraid," Lily said in a clear voice, masking the annoyance inside it.
"But…"
"Anything else? Okay, good. I'm passing out the worksheet now. You guys can work in pairs, but no cheating." She made sure everyone was quietly working together before she went into her office.
She liked making things for the students so that they had enough freedom that they didn't think to cheat, but still felt that their grades would be good enough. This way they learned properly, without any lying.
"Hello."
Lily screamed, whirling around and putting her wand out. Then she saw who it was, and he was laughing so hard he practically fell on the ground.
"James-Potter-," snapped Lily, clutching her chest. "You are so in trouble for this."
"But, you found it funny too," laughed James. "Don't lie."
Lily glared at him. "I'm not lying."
James stopped laughing, and a teasing smile was in place on his face. "Oh come on, don't be upset. It was a laugh, that's all."
Lily sighed. "Whatever, James. Why are you here anyway? You're not supposed to be in the castle, you know that."
"Since when has what I'm supposed to do ever prevented me from doing what I wanted to do?" James asked, walking forward so that he was only inches away from his wife.
"Never," grumbled Lily. "Which is why you were a jerk at Hogwarts."
"I was not," protested James.
Lily raised an eyebrow.
"Okay, maybe just a little."
Lily laughed. "Sure."
"So, how's your class going?" James asked. "Shouldn't you be teaching?"
"Oh Merlin, I totally forgot!" Lily said sarcastically. "I thought you knew me better than that, James. They're doing a worksheet in pairs, and I trust them to be able to do it."
"So you can spend some quality time with me?" James winked and Lily rolled her eyes.
"You are so self-centered."
"Yeah, but you still love me." James grinned.
"I don't know why."
"Oh come on, you know why," James teased, stepping closer to Lily. His messy black hair was pushed back, and his hazel eyes were intently searching her green ones.
"Why?" she managed, not able to tear her eyes from his.
"Let's see… I'm funny, make good jokes, good at heart, an amazing baker-"
"Am I imagining the moment when you tried to make muffins and I came back from my shopping trip to see the kitchen engulfed in flour?" Lily asked.
"I've gotten better since then," James argued. "Remember the creme pie?"
"Harry helped you with that one."
"He only sieved the flour."
"For Merlin's sake, James, he was seven years old!"
"Yeah, well, that's not the important part. And besides, I'm way better at cooking than baking. You know that. Ovens are weird." He inched closer to Lily, his warm hand sliding up her arm, coming to rest on her shoulder gently. His other hand tilted her chin up, so that her face was right in front of his. She felt her breath catch at the intense look on his face...
"Professor Potter!" hollered a student from inside her classroom. "I need your help!"
"What, did rabid gorrilas invade the classroom?" asked James, raising his eyebrows. "Can't it wait?"
Lily snorted despite herself, giving James a quick peck on the lips. "Yeah, I'm coming," she called. And she walked away, the smile on her face not moving one centimeter.
"Hey, Remus," Lily greeted, smiling.
"Hi, Lily," he responded. "How was your day?"
"Do you even want to know?"
"Let me guess," he said, his lips playing at a smile. "James showed up in your room again, since he couldn't resist not seeing you. He scared you out of your wits, but you enjoyed it all the same. You flirted to the end of the world and back, and in the end… I don't know if I want to guess. Am I right?"
"Pretty much," she muttered, fighting the pink hue that threatened to overtake her cheeks. "You know everything."
"I know James," he corrected. "We grew up together, Lily. I know him too well, and that's exactly the kind of thing he would do. He loves you, you know."
"Remus, stop!" she protested, blushing even more. "I know that!"
Remus merely shrugged. "I don't know what the occasion is, but so many girls have blushed today after I've said something. My classes have been filled with blushing girls since Monday! And now you! What's going on?"
"Has it ever occurred to you, Remus, that you're likeable?" Lily suggested, relieved at the change of topic. "People like you. You're fun. And obviously, you don't know the girls at Hogwarts. Their other professors are either old, like Flitwick, or mean, like Severus." She wrinkled her nose. "You're young, and you're nice. You have to expect girls to swoon over you."
He looked disbelieving. "What?"
"You heard me," she said, and then she added quickly, "but that's not why I was blushing."
"I know," he said, smirking. "Only James has that effect on you."
She felt the urge to throw something at him and wipe that smirk off his face, but since there was nothing throwable in the vicinity, she just scowled. "Whatever, Lupin."
"He's so good!" squealed Hermione.
"Much better than Lockhart," muttered Ron.
"Lockhart wasn't that bad," Hermione defended. "But Professor Lupin's really good!"
"You just liked seeing Snape in Neville's grandmother's clothes," Harry told Ron.
"Who wouldn't?" asked Ron. "But that shiny thing he did on the train, that was cool."
"The Patronus, you mean?" asked Hermione testily.
"Whatever it's called," Ron mumbled. "How am I supposed to know?"
"You aren't," responded Hermione, just as Ginny came rushing into the common room, stopping short at the sight of them.
"Hi, Ginny," Hermione said kindly.
"H-hello," she stammered, her eyes quickly darting from Hermione to Ron and then lingering on Harry. "I… think I left my book here."
"I think one of the other girls brought it up to your dormitory," Ron told her. "Just a few minutes ago."
Harry watched the youngest Weasley as she muttered her thanks and practically ran out of the common room.
"I don't know what's happening to her," Ron said, shrugging. "She's so social otherwise. Harry, how come you still intimidate her?"
"I don't do it on purpose," Harry defended. "I've always been nice to her!"
Hermione pursed her lips. "It's not you, Harry. I mean it is, but…" She sighed. "Never mind. I don't expect either of you to understand it."
The two boys shrugged. "Okay," said Harry.
"If you say so," said Ron.
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Right, then. I'm off to bed." She stood up and packed her books into a neat stack, tucking them under her arm safely. "Good night."
"Good night, Hermione," they chorused.
"Potter!"
Liana turned around to see Draco Malfoy sprawled on an armchair.
"What?" she asked irritably.
"Did you know your brother fainted on the train?" he asked gleefully. "Ickle Potter faints because of a Dementor."
"Pathetic, I know," Liana assured him, to which the third-year looked surprised.
"What?"
"I said, it's pathetic," she repeated, not a trace of sarcasm in her voice. "He thinks he's so special, but he really isn't."
Draco looked pleased. "You really think so?"
"I hate him," Liana stated plainly, sitting down across from him. "Can you imagine how hard it is to live with him? He gets so much attention, and he doesn't even do anything!"
"I feel bad for you," Draco agreed, moving his hand around freely, although it was in a cast.
That was sus...
"Er, what happened with the hippogriff?" asked Liana.
"Oh, this?" Draco gestured his arm. "I got a scratch. Nothing big. But it's important to play it as something big. The good it does you…"
"So you're acting like it's a big deal, but it's not."
"Exactly. That oaf Hagrid doesn't know what he's doing. He was gone for a bit last year, went to Azkaban." Liana paled at the mention of the wizarding prison. "But now he's back, and he's teaching. If I had known he was teaching, I never would've signed up for Care of Magical Creatures. Kettleburn was decent enough."
"Yeah," Liana said emptily. Hagrid was a nice guy, but with his size, she didn't know if he could be trusted. "Who's Kettleburn?"
"He was supposed to teach Care of Magical Creatures. Retired just this year. That idiot Dumbledore said so at the beginning of term."
"You don't like Dumbledore?"
"No, do you?"
She shook her head. It was true. There was something schemy about him.
"Good," Draco said, looking pleased. "We'll get along great, then." He stood up and stretched. "Good night."
"Good night," Liana said, smiling, and feeling happier than she had all day.
Remus took in a deep breath and let it out.
Week one at Hogwarts had gone smoothly enough, though he knew he was still getting fearful glances from some of the staff members.
It was a lot to go through, to learn that one of your colleagues was a werewolf. Remus understood how they felt. He felt guilty for having to inconvenience them.
James and Lily had waved it away immediately the first time he had confided this to them. They had claimed that people would get over it, but they didn't understand.
James had easily accepted his lycanthropy in their first year. Lily had been told right before she had gotten married to James. It had taken her a while; there had been a brief period where Lily had completely avoided him, not talking to him or having anything to do with him, when James had been completely torn on who to support. But then Harry had been born, and Lily had been too busy to remember to be mad at Remus. Things had mended themselves.
Though not for long. The first wizarding war had taken a great toll on them. Sirius had told James and Lily that Remus was untrustworthy, and the two of them had believed it. Since then, Remus had seen plans deliberately being concealed from him, had been slowly left out from Order meetings, and been uninvited from many, many events.
Remus wasn't one to resent, although it was painful to think that James and Lily had been so easily swayed to believe that Remus could be betraying them. And even though it had never ever been said, the fact that he was a werewolf definitely played a role. It was easier not to trust a werewolf. Just because.
Of course, he was grateful that James and Peter and even Sirius had been his friends during Hogwarts. But one of them was dead, and the other was on the run. And at some point, none of them had trusted him, and the fact that he was a werewolf was very much a contributing factor.
Werewolves didn't have many true friends. Remus was lucky to have had such accepting friends. But now all he had was James and Lily. If only there was someone who would accept him for who he was, someone who would trust him forever and ever, someone who would never think twice about believing him, no matter what.
Someone who didn't care.
"Yes, yes, Kingsley, calm down," Tonks sighed, leaning back in her chair.
"Thank you," said Kingsley, looking greatly relieved. "It's just that…"
"You have a baby at home," Tonks finished for him, smiling. "I know. I'll take your shift. Don't worry about it at all."
"I owe you," he mumbled, gathering his things.
"Don't mention it," Tonks replied. "Seriously. It's okay."
"Don't you have things to do, though?" Kingsley asked, frowning. "Like, don't you have places to go, people to meet?"
She snorted. "Nope."
"Oh." He rubbed at his forehead blearily. "Okay. Well, I'm leaving. Good night, Tonks."
"Good night, Kingsley." She smiled and watched him leave.
She was now alone in the room, with one of the senior Aurors on duty in one of the other rooms. She picked up another file of paperwork and flipped through it idly, reading through what she could. She worked meticulously, taking notes, making changes, and adding her own section to the bottom of the report.
Her life just went this way. She would work as much as she could, since there was nothing else she could do. One day, maybe this lifestyle could change.
But for now, it was working. And it would have to do.